Entertainment
The Documentary That Got Too Close to Wagner’s Killing Machine — and What Its Director Warns Is Coming Next for Democracy: ‘Mercenary Armies Are What States Turn to When…’
Hell’s Army filmmaker Richard Rowley spent years chasing the world’s most feared private military force across three continents. What he found should terrify every democracy on the planet.
There are documentaries that inform. There are documentaries that disturb. And then there are documentaries that feel like a warning siren that nobody in power wants to hear.
Hell’s Army — premiering at CPH:DOX, one of the world’s most respected documentary film festivals — falls firmly into the third category. Directed by veteran conflict journalist and filmmaker Richard Rowley, the film pulls back the curtain on the Wagner Group: the Russian private military company that became the Kremlin’s most deniable, most brutal, and most effective weapon — deployed across Africa, the Middle East, and the killing fields of Ukraine.
It is not comfortable viewing. It was not comfortable making.
The Army That Wasn’t Supposed to Exist
For years, the Wagner Group operated in a strange legal and political grey zone. Russia officially denied its existence. Western governments tracked it with growing alarm but struggled to respond. On the ground — in Mali, Libya, Syria, Sudan, Central African Republic, and eventually the trenches of eastern Ukraine — Wagner fighters were doing the kind of work that regular armies either couldn’t do or wouldn’t admit to doing.
They were enforcers. They were coup-enablers. They were, by multiple credible accounts, perpetrators of massacres.
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Founded and commanded by Yevgeny Prigozhin — the St. Petersburg caterer turned warlord who built a private empire with Vladimir Putin‘s blessing — Wagner grew from a shadowy band of veterans into a force estimated at its peak to number 50,000 fighters. It recruited from Russian prisons, offering pardons in exchange for frontline service. It operated with near-total impunity.
Then, in June 2023, came the moment that shocked the world: Prigozhin led a short-lived mutiny against Russia’s military leadership, marching his forces toward Moscow before standing down in a deal brokered by Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko. Two months later, Prigozhin was dead — his private plane shot out of the sky in what virtually every analyst described as a Kremlin-ordered assassination, though Moscow has denied involvement.
Wagner didn’t die with him. It evolved, rebranded, and kept moving.
Richard Rowley’s Dangerous Chase
Richard Rowley is not a filmmaker who shoots from a safe distance. His previous work — including the Oscar-shortlisted Dirty Wars, made alongside journalist Jeremy Scahill — established him as one of the most fearless documentarians working in conflict journalism today. He goes where the story is, regardless of the personal cost.
For Hell’s Army, that meant following Wagner’s trail across multiple continents, interviewing survivors of Wagner operations, former fighters, intelligence officials, and the kinds of sources who speak only in whispers and rarely on camera.
What Rowley found was not simply a story about a mercenary army. It was a story about a new model of power — one that democracies are dangerously unprepared to confront.
“Mercenary armies are what states turn to when they’ve been taken over by oligarchs and authoritarians,” Rowley has said in discussing the film. The line lands like a stone dropped in still water. The ripples, he implies, reach far beyond Russia.
Why This Is Bigger Than Wagner
To watch Hell’s Army purely as a film about Russia would be to miss its most unsettling argument.
Rowley‘s documentary positions the Wagner Group not as an anomaly — a uniquely Russian aberration — but as a symptom. A preview. A blueprint that other actors, in other countries, are already studying.
The privatisation of military force is not new. Blackwater — the American private military contractor that became infamous after the 2007 Nisour Square massacre in Baghdad — demonstrated years ago that governments could outsource violence while maintaining plausible deniability. What Wagner perfected was doing this on a geopolitical scale, with the explicit backing of a nuclear state, in service of an authoritarian project to redraw the world order.
The model works. That is the terrifying conclusion of the film.

In Mali and Burkina Faso, Wagner arrived after military coups and positioned itself as a security guarantee — in exchange for mining rights, political loyalty, and the freedom to operate without oversight. In Libya, Wagner fighters were documented operating sophisticated weapons systems in violation of UN arms embargoes. In Ukraine, Wagner assault units absorbed catastrophic casualties at Bakhmut — feeding recruited prisoners into a meat grinder while Russia’s regular military regrouped.
At every turn, the Group operated in the space between official accountability and outright war.
The Prigozhin Question
No film about Wagner can avoid grappling with the strange, operatic arc of Yevgeny Prigozhin himself — a man who went from running a St. Petersburg catering business to commanding one of the most consequential private armies in modern history, before dying in a plane crash that the entire world understood to be a murder, even if no one could officially say so.
Prigozhin was a paradox: simultaneously Putin’s instrument and, ultimately, a threat to Putin’s authority. His brief mutiny in 2023 — the March of Justice, as he called it — was the most direct challenge to Kremlin power in the Putin era. That it collapsed within 24 hours, and that Prigozhin was dead within two months, tells its own story about the limits of loyalty in authoritarian systems.
Rowley’s documentary, by all accounts, doesn’t sensationalise this arc. It contextualises it — asking not just what Prigozhin was, but what his rise and fall reveals about the system that created him.
A Warning About Where We Are Headed
The most haunting aspect of Hell’s Army may be its implied question: is this the future?
At a time when NATO allies are debating defence spending, when democratic institutions in multiple countries face unprecedented pressure, when the very concept of state accountability for military action is being tested — the Wagner model represents something genuinely new and genuinely dangerous.
Private armies answerable not to citizens, not to constitutions, not to international law, but to oligarchs and the interests of consolidated power. Forces that can be deployed, denied, and disappeared. Soldiers who exist outside the Geneva Convention’s reach — at least in practice, if not in theory.
Richard Rowley has made a film that refuses to let its audience feel safely removed from this story. Wagner operated far away, in places many Western viewers might struggle to find on a map. But the forces that created it — the collapse of institutional accountability, the rise of oligarchic power, the weaponisation of deniability — are not contained to any one geography.
They are, the film argues, a direction of travel. And the destination is not somewhere any democracy should want to arrive.
Hell’s Army is currently screening at CPH:DOX in Copenhagen. Daily Global Diary will continue to track its international release.
Entertainment
One Tony Award Away: How Apple TV+ Could Make Streaming History Through ‘Schmigadoon!’
The streaming giant’s unexpected Broadway success has positioned it on the verge of an extraordinary milestone, potentially making Apple TV+ the fastest streamer ever to achieve EGOT status.
In the highly competitive streaming era, platforms are constantly searching for new ways to distinguish themselves. Some focus on blockbuster films. Others invest heavily in prestige television. But Apple TV+ may be on the verge of accomplishing something far more remarkable—securing a place in entertainment history through one of the industry’s most prestigious achievements.
As the Tony Awards approach, Apple’s involvement with the Broadway adaptation of Schmigadoon! has positioned the company for a potential milestone that few media organizations have ever achieved: EGOT status.
If the stars align on Broadway’s biggest night, Apple TV+ could become the fastest streaming platform ever associated with winning an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony—the four awards that collectively form the legendary EGOT.
From Streaming Series to Broadway Stage
When “Schmigadoon!” debuted on Apple TV+, it quickly attracted attention for its clever blend of comedy, romance, and musical theater satire.
Created by Cinco Paul and featuring a cast packed with musical talent, the series paid tribute to classic Broadway productions while simultaneously poking fun at the conventions that define them.
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The show’s unique concept resonated with audiences and critics alike, earning praise for its writing, performances, and original songs.
What few expected, however, was that the project would eventually expand beyond streaming and find new life on the Broadway stage.
That transition highlights the growing connection between digital entertainment platforms and traditional performing arts institutions.
Understanding the Prestige of EGOT
The term EGOT refers to winning all four of the entertainment industry’s most coveted awards:
- Emmy Award (television)
- Grammy Award (music)
- Oscar or Academy Award (film)
- Tony Award (theater)
Only a small group of individuals and organizations have achieved the distinction.
For decades, the achievement has been viewed as the ultimate symbol of creative excellence across multiple entertainment disciplines.
While individual performers often spend entire careers pursuing the honor, Apple’s rapid rise across television, film, music, and theater has been particularly striking.
Apple’s Unconventional Entertainment Strategy
Unlike many streaming competitors that initially focused on building massive content libraries, Apple TV+ pursued a different path.
The platform emphasized quality over quantity, investing in prestige projects capable of generating critical acclaim and industry recognition.
That strategy quickly produced results.
Apple became the first streaming service to win the Academy Award for Best Picture through CODA, a landmark moment that demonstrated the platform’s growing influence in Hollywood.
Its original programming has also secured multiple Emmy Awards, while music-related projects have contributed to Grammy recognition.
Now, the company finds itself within reach of completing the final stage of the EGOT puzzle.
Why ‘Schmigadoon!’ Matters Beyond Awards
The success of “Schmigadoon!” represents more than a single production’s achievements.
It reflects a broader transformation occurring throughout the entertainment industry.
Streaming services are increasingly investing in live events, theater productions, concerts, and immersive experiences. The boundaries that once separated television, film, music, and stage productions are becoming increasingly blurred.

Apple’s support for a project that successfully transitioned from streaming screens to theatrical stages demonstrates how intellectual property can evolve across multiple platforms.
This model may become increasingly common as entertainment companies seek new ways to maximize audience engagement.
Broadway and Streaming Continue to Converge
For years, Broadway and Hollywood maintained distinct identities.
Today, however, collaborations between theater creators and streaming platforms are becoming more frequent.
Services such as Netflix, Disney+, and Apple TV+ have shown growing interest in musical storytelling, live-performance content, and stage-inspired productions.
The relationship benefits both sides.
Streaming platforms gain prestige and creative diversity, while theater productions receive broader exposure and access to global audiences.
“Schmigadoon!” has become one of the clearest examples of this evolving partnership.
A Potentially Historic Night at the Tonys
As anticipation builds ahead of the Tony Awards ceremony, industry observers are watching closely to see whether Apple can complete its remarkable awards journey.
A Tony win would not simply add another trophy to the company’s collection. It would symbolize the success of a long-term strategy centered on creative excellence and cross-platform storytelling.
For Apple TV+, the moment would further validate its position as one of the entertainment industry’s most influential players despite being one of the younger entrants in the streaming landscape.
Whether or not the company secures the final piece of the EGOT puzzle this year, its rapid ascent has already rewritten expectations for what a streaming platform can achieve.
And if “Schmigadoon!” helps deliver that final honor, it could become one of the most significant success stories in modern entertainment history.
Entertainment
Emilia Clarke’s ‘Next Life’ Asks a Fascinating Question About Love and Destiny—But Does It Have the Answers?
Director Drake Doremus returns with an ambitious romantic drama starring Emilia Clarke, blending emotional storytelling and philosophical ideas in a film that is likely to divide audiences.
In an era dominated by sequels, superhero franchises, and high-concept blockbusters, films that attempt to explore human emotions through philosophical storytelling have become increasingly rare. That makes “Next Life,” the latest project from filmmaker Drake Doremus, an intriguing addition to the cinematic landscape.
Led by Emilia Clarke, the romantic drama arrives with a premise designed to spark conversation. Exploring themes of love, fate, memory, and the possibility of connection beyond a single lifetime, the film aims for emotional depth while asking audiences to consider some of life’s biggest questions.
Yet while “Next Life” succeeds in creating an atmosphere filled with mystery and introspection, it may leave some viewers wishing its ideas had been explored with greater depth and clarity.
Emilia Clarke Brings Emotional Weight to the Story
One of the film’s greatest strengths is undoubtedly Emilia Clarke.
Best known globally for her iconic portrayal of Daenerys Targaryen in Game of Thrones, Clarke has spent recent years expanding her range through a variety of dramatic and romantic roles.
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In “Next Life,” she delivers a performance grounded in vulnerability and sincerity. Even when the narrative becomes abstract, Clarke’s emotional commitment helps maintain audience investment.
Her ability to communicate longing, uncertainty, and hope often elevates scenes that might otherwise struggle under the weight of the film’s more ambitious philosophical concepts.
The performance serves as another reminder of why Clarke remains one of the most respected actresses of her generation.
Drake Doremus Returns to Familiar Territory
For fans of Drake Doremus, “Next Life” feels immediately recognizable.
Throughout his career, the filmmaker has demonstrated a fascination with intimacy, relationships, and emotional complexity. Films such as Like Crazy and Equals explored similar territory, often prioritizing mood and emotional atmosphere over traditional storytelling structures.
“Next Life” continues that creative approach.
The film focuses less on concrete explanations and more on emotional experiences. Rather than presenting clear answers, Doremus invites viewers to interpret the story through their own perspectives.
For some audiences, that ambiguity may prove compelling.
Others may find themselves searching for stronger narrative development and more fully realized world-building.
Big Ideas, Limited Exploration
The central concept behind “Next Life” is undeniably intriguing.
The film raises questions about whether love can transcend time, whether destiny truly exists, and whether human connections are shaped by forces beyond our understanding.
These themes have fueled countless works of literature, philosophy, and cinema throughout history.
However, the challenge with ambitious concepts is that they require sufficient development to feel meaningful.
At times, “Next Life” introduces fascinating ideas only to move past them before they can be fully explored. The result is a film that occasionally feels more interested in posing questions than investigating their implications.
That doesn’t make the experience unsuccessful, but it may leave some viewers feeling that the story’s emotional and intellectual potential remains partially untapped.
A Visually Elegant Experience
Even critics who find fault with the screenplay are likely to appreciate the film’s visual presentation.
Doremus has always displayed a strong sense of aesthetic style, and “Next Life” continues that tradition. Soft lighting, dreamlike cinematography, and carefully composed imagery create a mood that aligns perfectly with the film’s themes.

The visuals contribute significantly to the movie’s emotional atmosphere, helping audiences connect with its sense of wonder and uncertainty.
Combined with a subtle score, the film often feels more like a meditation on love and memory than a conventional romantic drama.
Why Films Like ‘Next Life’ Still Matter
Regardless of whether audiences embrace its execution, “Next Life” represents something increasingly valuable in modern filmmaking: risk-taking.
Many studios prioritize familiar formulas because they offer predictable results. Films like “Next Life,” by contrast, attempt to engage audiences through ideas rather than spectacle.
That willingness to explore abstract concepts deserves recognition.
Not every ambitious film succeeds completely, but cinema continues to evolve because filmmakers are willing to experiment with storytelling approaches that challenge expectations.
The Final Verdict
“Next Life” is a film filled with intriguing possibilities.
Emilia Clarke delivers a compelling performance that anchors the story emotionally, while Drake Doremus once again demonstrates his talent for creating intimate and visually captivating worlds.
Yet the film’s biggest strength—its ambitious philosophical premise—also becomes its greatest challenge. The ideas are fascinating, but they sometimes feel underdeveloped, preventing the story from reaching the emotional heights it appears to be chasing.
For viewers who enjoy reflective, atmospheric dramas that prioritize questions over answers, “Next Life” offers plenty to consider.
For those seeking a more fully realized narrative, the experience may feel like a beautiful thought experiment that never quite achieves its full potential.
Either way, the film ensures one thing: audiences will leave the theater talking about it, and perhaps pondering their own beliefs about fate, love, and second chances.
Entertainment
‘Next Life’ Review: Emilia Clarke Leads a Romantic Mystery That’s Beautiful, Ambitious and Surprisingly Elusive
Director Drake Doremus returns with an ambitious romantic drama starring Emilia Clarke, blending emotional storytelling and philosophical ideas in a film that is likely to divide audiences.
In an era dominated by sequels, superhero franchises, and high-concept blockbusters, films that attempt to explore human emotions through philosophical storytelling have become increasingly rare. That makes “Next Life,” the latest project from filmmaker Drake Doremus, an intriguing addition to the cinematic landscape.
Led by Emilia Clarke, the romantic drama arrives with a premise designed to spark conversation. Exploring themes of love, fate, memory, and the possibility of connection beyond a single lifetime, the film aims for emotional depth while asking audiences to consider some of life’s biggest questions.
Yet while “Next Life” succeeds in creating an atmosphere filled with mystery and introspection, it may leave some viewers wishing its ideas had been explored with greater depth and clarity.
Emilia Clarke Brings Emotional Weight to the Story
One of the film’s greatest strengths is undoubtedly Emilia Clarke.
Best known globally for her iconic portrayal of Daenerys Targaryen in Game of Thrones, Clarke has spent recent years expanding her range through a variety of dramatic and romantic roles.
ALSO READ : Sen. Elizabeth Warren Calls It a ‘Cesspool of Corruption’ — Here’s Why Senators Are Now Fighting Back Against the DOJ’s Live Nation Deal That Left Every Fan Betrayed…
In “Next Life,” she delivers a performance grounded in vulnerability and sincerity. Even when the narrative becomes abstract, Clarke’s emotional commitment helps maintain audience investment.
Her ability to communicate longing, uncertainty, and hope often elevates scenes that might otherwise struggle under the weight of the film’s more ambitious philosophical concepts.
The performance serves as another reminder of why Clarke remains one of the most respected actresses of her generation.
Drake Doremus Returns to Familiar Territory
For fans of Drake Doremus, “Next Life” feels immediately recognizable.
Throughout his career, the filmmaker has demonstrated a fascination with intimacy, relationships, and emotional complexity. Films such as Like Crazy and Equals explored similar territory, often prioritizing mood and emotional atmosphere over traditional storytelling structures.
“Next Life” continues that creative approach.
The film focuses less on concrete explanations and more on emotional experiences. Rather than presenting clear answers, Doremus invites viewers to interpret the story through their own perspectives.
For some audiences, that ambiguity may prove compelling.
Others may find themselves searching for stronger narrative development and more fully realized world-building.
Big Ideas, Limited Exploration
The central concept behind “Next Life” is undeniably intriguing.
The film raises questions about whether love can transcend time, whether destiny truly exists, and whether human connections are shaped by forces beyond our understanding.
These themes have fueled countless works of literature, philosophy, and cinema throughout history.
However, the challenge with ambitious concepts is that they require sufficient development to feel meaningful.
At times, “Next Life” introduces fascinating ideas only to move past them before they can be fully explored. The result is a film that occasionally feels more interested in posing questions than investigating their implications.
That doesn’t make the experience unsuccessful, but it may leave some viewers feeling that the story’s emotional and intellectual potential remains partially untapped.
A Visually Elegant Experience
Even critics who find fault with the screenplay are likely to appreciate the film’s visual presentation.
Doremus has always displayed a strong sense of aesthetic style, and “Next Life” continues that tradition. Soft lighting, dreamlike cinematography, and carefully composed imagery create a mood that aligns perfectly with the film’s themes.

The visuals contribute significantly to the movie’s emotional atmosphere, helping audiences connect with its sense of wonder and uncertainty.
Combined with a subtle score, the film often feels more like a meditation on love and memory than a conventional romantic drama.
Why Films Like ‘Next Life’ Still Matter
Regardless of whether audiences embrace its execution, “Next Life” represents something increasingly valuable in modern filmmaking: risk-taking.
Many studios prioritize familiar formulas because they offer predictable results. Films like “Next Life,” by contrast, attempt to engage audiences through ideas rather than spectacle.
That willingness to explore abstract concepts deserves recognition.
Not every ambitious film succeeds completely, but cinema continues to evolve because filmmakers are willing to experiment with storytelling approaches that challenge expectations.
The Final Verdict
“Next Life” is a film filled with intriguing possibilities.
Emilia Clarke delivers a compelling performance that anchors the story emotionally, while Drake Doremus once again demonstrates his talent for creating intimate and visually captivating worlds.
Yet the film’s biggest strength—its ambitious philosophical premise—also becomes its greatest challenge. The ideas are fascinating, but they sometimes feel underdeveloped, preventing the story from reaching the emotional heights it appears to be chasing.
For viewers who enjoy reflective, atmospheric dramas that prioritize questions over answers, “Next Life” offers plenty to consider.
For those seeking a more fully realized narrative, the experience may feel like a beautiful thought experiment that never quite achieves its full potential.
Either way, the film ensures one thing: audiences will leave the theater talking about it, and perhaps pondering their own beliefs about fate, love, and second chances.
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